1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to insertable print/cartridges for use in drop-on-demand ink jet printing systems and more particularly to print/cartridge constructions which provide a plurality of precisely aligned orifice arrays that can be insertably positioned, in precise printing orientation, within a cooperative printer.
2. Background Art
Commonly assigned and concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 945,136, entitled "Ink Jet Printer for Cooperatively Printing with a Plurality of Insertable Print/Cartridges", by M. Piatt describes a highly useful approach for ink jet printing with a plurality of insertable print/cartridges. In general, that approach employs the physical positioning of each inserted print/cartridge so that its linear orifice array is aligned: (i) precisely perpendicular to the direction of line traverse, (ii) at a precise predetermined distance from a reference surface parallel to the direction of line traverse and (iii) at a generally predetermined spacing from the printing zone. This aspect of the Piatt approach prevents printing artifacts caused by misalignments of the cooperative print/cartridges in the vertical page direction. To prevent artifacts due to misalignments along the horizontal page direction, the Piatt approach utilizes detections of the relative transverse locations of the linear orifice arrays of inserted print/cartridges and coordination of the print/cartridges printing actuations based on such detections. Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 945,134, entitled "Multiple Print/Cartridge Ink Jet Printer Having Accurate Vertical Interpositioning", and concurrently filed in the names of Piatt, Houser and McWilliams, describes particularly preferred systems for attaining the above-described physical positioning of insertable print/cartridges. Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 945,137, entitled "System for Determining Orifice Interspacings of Cooperative Ink Jet Print/Cartridges", and concurrently filed in the names of Piatt, Theodoras and Ray, describes highly useful systems for scanning inserted print/cartridges and computing and storing the relative transverse locations of the orifice arrays thereof to enable coordination of the drop placements during line printing traverses.
The ink jet printing systems described in the above-noted applications provide significant advantages for using a plurality of insertable print/cartridges. However, for certain applications it would be desirable to reduce the printer size that is required by such a multiple print/cartridge approach. Also, it would be desirable to reduce the printer complexities connected with the approach's scan-detection of the separate print/cartridges.